Method of and apparatus for conveying



May 1, 1945. R. M. CARRIER, JR

' METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING Original Filed July 20,-1942' 5Sheets-Sheet l m m mm W f ti m M 1|! ,llilllllll F y 1, 1945- v R. M.CARRIER, JR 2,374,663

7 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING Original Filed July 20, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 2 1 i I i l f a Jz i ,,L, V iiifil f i a5 7 3/ Q QL l 45 k29 57 i a? 2 i F I 33 Z7 'Z4Z'I" i W m :75 5.5 70 71? her 27% far/k11i).

May 1, 1945. R; M. CARRIER, JR

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING Original Filed July 20, 1942 I5Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 1, 1945 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FORCONVEYING RobertM. Carrier, Jr., Aurora, ill.

Original application July 20, 1942, Serial No. 451,659. Divided and thisapplication March 29, 1943, Serial No. 480,934

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in methods of and apparatus forconveying, and more particularly to the conveying of discrete materialfrom one point to another, on the same or diiferent planes of elevation,although the invention may have other uses and purposes as willbeapparent to one skilled in the art.

This application is a division'of my copending application entitledMethod of conveying bulk materials, filed July 20, 1942, Serial No.451,659.

In the past, many and various types of vibratory, oscillatory andgyratory conveyors have been developed. In most instances, the formerlyknown devices were merely vibrators arranged to successively bounce orthrow the conveyed material off the surface of the conveyor and permitit to move downwardly as the result of the force of gravity acting uponthe material. These conveyors would not move material horizontally or upan incline, nor would they move the material continuously in a smoothuniform flow along either a straight path or laterally curvate path. Inother instances devices of this type have been developed to movematerial up an incline. There was no continuity of movement, but a stepby step travel, such devices not being reversible, very limited in speedof flow, usually could not be counterbalanced, and in every instance ofwhich I am aware the devices were not possible of correlation betweenthe speed of movement of the conveyor itself and amplitude or throw inthe event the conveyor was moved bodily through a cyclic endless path.Formerly known devices of this character were also objectionable due totheir cumbersomeness, excessive cost of manufacture and operation, andthe important fact that the material could not be moved in a continuous,smooth, uniform and rapid flow, and, if so desired, the material duringany movement could not be kept substantially in contiguous relationshipor actual contact with the conveying surface at all times.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide a conveying method and apparatus which operatesupon a new principle under which the apparatus is capable ofcontinuously, smoothly, uniformly and rapidly conveying materialdownwardly, horizontally, or up an incline of any desired slope up to adegree not greatly exceeding the angle ofrepose for the material. 7

Another object of the invention is the provision of a conveyingapparatus embodying a conveyor surface which is moved bodily through anendless oval path and which moves material forwardly in a continuous anduninterrupted flow.

provision of a conveying system embodying a con- It is also an object ofthis invention to provide a method of and apparatus for conveyingembodying a conveyor surface moved bodily through an endless oval pathand having its parts so correlated that the conveyed material isconstantly in contiguous relationship or substantially in contact withthe conveyor surface at all times.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of conveyingapparatus embodying a conveying member performing cyclic revolutionsthrough an endless oval path and which revolves or rotates oppositely tothe direction of material flow, that is, if the conveyor member movesgenerally clockwise, the material moves from right.

to left, and if the conveyor member moves counter-clockwise, thematerial flows from left to right.

Another feature of the invention resides in th veying'member actuatedthrough an endless oval path to convey material, the apparatus beingreversible by merely reversing the power drive for the conveying member.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of aconveying system wherein the material is moved forwardly by the actionof a conveying member operated through an endless oval path,-and whereinthe movement of thematerial is independent at all times of the freeforce of gravity as a cause of material movement and wherein thematerial is only positively carried forward during movement through thelower half of the oval and in the direction of such movement; thematerial during the upper half of the oval movement being projectedforward by momentum.

Still a further feature of the invention resides in the. provision ofconveying apparatus embodying a conveying member actuated through anendless oval path to advance material, the apparatus being highlyeconomical in construction and operation and capable of beingcounterbalanced or stabilized to suppress vibration in supportingstructures.

It is also a feature of the invention to provide conveying apparatuswherein material is steadily advanced by virtue of alternate directpropulsion and momentum travel.v

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of conveyingapparatus embodying a conveying member performing cyclic revolutionsthrough an endless oval path and so arranged that the conveyed materialadvances several times the length of the longest axis of the curvilinearpath at each cyclic revolution.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a conveying systemembodying a conveying member which travels through an endlesscurvilinear path generally oval or elliptical in configuration, and inwhich there is such correlation between the major and minor axes of theelliptical path, such correlation between the speed and the magnitude ofmovement of the conveying surface in a, direction substantially normalto that surface, and such angular correlation between the major axis ofthe elliptical path and the conveying surface as to produce a continuousuninterrupted flow in the direction of movement through the lower halfof the oval.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of aconveying system wherein a conveying member is moved through an endlesscurvilinear path for the purpose of advancing material, which apparatusembodies a relatively low speed of operation for the conveying member,and yet has an extremely high capacity of material flow.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, other will becomeapparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of conveying apparatus embodyingprinciples of this invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicatedby the line III-III of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially as indicated by the line IVIV of Figure 3 illustratingsomewhat diagrammatically the operation of the structure seen in Figures1, 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a wholly diagrammatic view illustrating generally the cyclicmovement of the conveyor surface and the travel of a particle ofmaterial therewith and relatively thereto;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a still differentform of conveying apparatus embodying principles of this invention;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the structure of Figure 6;and

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially asindicated by the line VIII-VIII of Figure 6.

As shown on the drawings:

At the outset it should be noted that my novel method may be fullyunderstood from the following description of an apparatus for practicingit For the purpose of clarity in presentation, each illustratedembodiment of the instant invention is shown horizontally and will somove material horizontally in either direction. It is to be understood,however, that any of the illustrated forms of the apparatus may beinclined, if so desired, or so constructed in an obvious manner thatthere is an inclination of the conveying member. If the conveying memberis so inclined, the apparatus will function to convey materialdownwardly at substantially any angle at which some motivating force isnecessary in addition to the action of gravity for a desired flow; ormaterial may likewise be conveyed upwardly along any desired inclinationup to a degree not greatly exceeding the angle of repose of theparticular material.

It should be further understood that while straight trough-likeconveying elements have been illustrated in each instance in order tofacilitate adequate disclosure of the invention, the conveying elementmay have substantially any desired cross-sectional configuration, may beclosed or open at the top, and be provided with a perforate orimperforate bottom depending on the type of conveying desired. Inaddition, it should be noted that the conveying element may have alaterally curvate shape, and thus convey material along an arcuate pathdownwardly, horizontally, or upwardly.

It will be understood that substantially any non-tacky andnon-flocculent discrete material, such as gravel, crushed stone, sand,grain, vegetables, nuts, etc., may be effectively conveyed by thestructures shown in the illustrated embodiments of this invention.Individual articles of greater size than particles of discrete material,both light and heavy, such as packages, boxes or bags of varioussubstances, are equally transportable by conveying mechanism embodyingthis invention.

In that embodiment of this invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and4, there is shown a foundation or base is. Near one end of this base apair of transversely spaced bearing standards 2020 are provided whichrotatably carry a transverse shaft 2l. This shaft is equipped with apair of transversely spaced eccentrics 22-42, and outside of each ofthese eccentrics is a counterweight 23. Spaced longitudinally along thebase l9 from the standards 20-20 is a similar pair of transverselyspaced standards 24-24 which rotatably carry a shaft 25 which carries apair of transversely spaced eccentrics 2626, and outside of eacheccentric the shaft carries a counterweight 21. The counterweights maybe of any desired shape and, as shown, are disposed oppositely to thethrow of the eccentrics so as to counterbalance the eccentric andstabilize the entire construction to prevent the transmission ofvibrations to the foundation l9 and other supporting structures whereverthe conveying apparatus may be located. The counterweights 23 and 21 arepreferably alike, as are the eccentrics 22 and 26.

A conveyor or conveying member, generally indicated by numeral 28, andwhich for purposes.

to the conveyor as indicated at 32, and these crank arms are suitablyapertured to receive therein the eccentrics 26-26. The supporting andactuating structure thus far described associated with one end of theconveyor 28 is preferably identical with the corresponding structure atthe other en of the conveyor.

In this instance, however, an additional actuating arrangement isprovided to impart a, greater longitudinal movement of the conveyorduring its travel through its orbital path than can be provided by theeccentrics 22 and 26. This additional arrangement includes a pair oftransverse- 1y spaced bearing standards 33--33 bolted or equivalentlysecured to the base l9 near an end thereof, and which standards aresomewhat highany desired configuration and oppositely disposed to thethrow of the eccentric to counterbalance the action of the eccentric. Acrank arm 3'! suitably apertured to accommodate therein the eccentric 35is pivotally connected .at its free end as indicated at 38 to a bracket39 'on the bottom of the conveyor 28. While in theillustrated instancethe bracket 33 is so disposed that the crank connection therewith is atthe median line of the conveyor, it will be appreciated that if desiredone or more additional eccentrics and crank arm connections may beestablished between the shaft 34 and the conveyor 28.

A uniform drive is imparted to all of the shafts 2|, 25 and 34. Theshaft 2| carries a sprocket wheel 40, the shaft 25 carries a pair ofspaced sprocket wheels 4| and 42, and the shaft 34 carries a sprocketwheel 43, all of which sprocket wheels are of the same size. A chain 44is trained over the sprocket wheels 40 and 4|, and a chain 45 is trainedover the sprocket wheels 42 and 43, so that all the shafts are driven atuniform speed. The shaft 2| extends outwardly as indicated at 45 forconnection to any suitable form of prime mover, not illustrated in thedrawings.

While the eccentrics 22 and 26, if operatin alone, would impart acircular orbital path to the conveyor 28 as a whole in the same manneras the eccentrics 5 and 8 operate the conveyor I6 as above explained,the eccentric provides an additional horizontal component in themovement of the conveyor. This arrangement causes the conveyor to bemoved bodily through an endless curvilinear path of substantiallyelliptical shape. The proportions of this elliptical path, that is, theratio between the minor and major axes of the ellipse, may be governedby the construction of the eccentrics 22 and 26 in relation with theeccentric 35. With the eccentrics 22, 26 and 35 substantially in phase,as illustrated, it is preferable to provide the eccentric 35 with athrow substantially three times that of the eccentrics 22 and 26,thereby resulting in an elliptical conveyor path in which the major axisof the ellipse is substantially three times the length of the minoraxis. It has been found that this ratio of axes of the elliptical pathis a highly satisfactory one for the rapid conveying of most materials.In connection with some materials, it may be desirable to employ asomewhat different ratio, depending on circumstances, but the preferablearrangement has been selected herein for illustrative purposes.

The operation of the instant invention can best be described inconnection with the structure illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of thedrawings, which is the structure that provides the endless ellipticalpath of travel for the conveyor.

With the instant invention, material may be conveyed in a continuous,smooth and substantially uniform fiow downwardly, horizontally orupwardly along an inclination of substantially any degree up to a pointnot greatly exceeding the angle of repose for the respective material.The material moves at a very rapid rate in comparison with thecross-sectional area of the conveyor. In order to provide a continuousflow of material it is necessary that the arrangement be such as topermit particles of conveyed material .to proceed forwardly by virtue oftheir momenthe conveyor must travel half its endless cyclic pathoppositely to th flow of material. Further, during its continuous flowthe material may be maintained in constant contiguity or in constantcontact with the conveyor surface, as distinuished from types ofconveyors which periodically toss or, throw the material away from theconveyor surface and permit it to gravitate back P by sharp and abrasivematerial, and prevents unintentional fragmentation of the .conveyedmaterial.

Assuming that all the foregoing features and advantages are desired inconveying apparatus wherein the conveyor moves bodily through anelliptical orbital path, in keeping with the principles of thisinvention, several factors are then determined in advance and theconstruction made to embody these factors so as to produce thosefeatures and advantages.

The proper correlation of axes of the orbital path at right angles toeach other must be determined. In the case of an elliptical path, it hasbeen found that for very rapid, yet continuous and smooth conveying, anelliptical path having a major axis substantially three times that ofthe minor axis is desirable. This is accomplished, as stated above, bymaking the eccentric 35 with thre times the throw of the eccentrics 22and 26. With reference to Figure 4-, and with such construction, theeccentrics all being in phase, and all rotated at the same speed, theconveyor will be forced to move through an oval path. The point 38,which is the effective connection of the eccentric 35-with the conveyor,will pass through an orbital path diagrammatically illustrated by thesmallcircles 41. This path is elliptical, and the major axis issubstantially three times the length of the minor axis. Likewise, thepivot points 30 and 32 will each pass through an elliptical pathindicated diagrammatically by the series of small circles 48. The paths4! and 48 are identical. Consequently, any point on the conveyor willtraverse the same elliptical orbital path.

- The proper direction of cyclic revolutions for the conveyor to producethe desired direction of flow of material is also determined in advance.As diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 5, wherein the line 49 is anenlargement of the elliptical path of the conveyor and th arrowsindicate the direction of cyclic revolution of the conveyor, thematerial flows left to right when the conveyor moves counterclockwise.Conversely, when the conveyor follows a cyclic path generally clockwisein direction, the material will move from right to left. If it is everdesired to reverse a direction'of flow of material, it is simplynecessary to reverse the direction of rotation of the prime mover. Nochange in the construction of the conveying apparatus is needed.

The proper angle of the major axis of the elliptical path relatively tothe conveyor surface to best produce flow of material is alsodetermined. In the case of the instant invention, it is preferable tohave the major axis of the elliptical path parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the conveyor surface, as indicated'in both Figures 4 and 5. Inthe latter figure, the line 50 represents the conveyor surface, and thisline also coincides with the major axis of the elliptical path. ofcourse, this exactness may not be practical at all times in commercialproduction, but for rapid and continuous and smooth flow of material,the major axis of an elliptical path should approximately parallel thelongitudinal axis of the conveyor surface.

A somewhat critical range of speed, that is, the cyclic revolutions perminute, relatively to the throw of the conveyor in a directionsubstantially normal to the plane of the conveying surface is alsodetermined in advance in order to acquire the results mentioned above. Asatisfactory conveyor speed may be established by dividing 1 by theradius of a circular path or by the minor axis of an elliptical path,taking the square root of the quotient and multiplying by 187.7. Thespeed so calculated may be varied approximately 30% either way in thecase of an elliptical path with the major axis substantially twice thelength of the minor axis, and approximately 40% either way for anelliptical path with the major axis substantially triple the length of.the minor axis. For example, a satisfactory practical speed for anelliptical path with a /2 inch minor axis would be 375 cyclicrevolutions per minute.

The foregoing is true regardles of whether the conveyor causes a flow ofmaterial horizontally or at an angle to the horizontal. If it is desiredto position the conveyor at an angle to the horizontal, it is a simpleexpedient to lengthen or shorten the bearing standards until theconveyor is disposed at the right angle.

During the cyclic movement of the conveyor centrifugal force andmomentum alternately combine with and act against the force of gravityon the conveyed material. In Figure 5, the series of black dots 5|diagrammatically indicate the travel of a particle of conveyedmaterial.- At position A and at position C, opposite ends of the majoraxis of the elliptical path, the conveyor being now in mid-pathposition, the particle will bear against the conveyor surface with apressure substantially equal to the weight of the particle.

When the particle is in position B, the lowermost portion of the path,it will bear against the conveyor with a pressure equal to substantiallytwice its weight, and when the particle is in position D, in theuppermost portion of the path, it will be in contiguity to or in contactwith the conveyor surface, but the bearing pressure of the particle willbe substantially nil.

Still with reference to Figure 5, it will be seen that a particle 5| iscarried through the lower part of the cyclic path from position A toposition C by the conveyor surface in the direction of material flow. Inthe upper part of the orbital path the same particle continues itsforward motion by virtue of its momentum following a slightly undulatingpath through position D and on to mid-position when it .is againphysically carried by the conveyor moving through the lower part of itscycle. It will be noted that during the forward movement of the particleby momentum, the conveyor surface is moving rearwardly a distance equalto that from position 0 to position A relatively to the particle. Thus,the particle has an effective travel or an advance relatively to theconveyor surface of considerably more than twice the, length of themajor axis of the orbital path during one cyclic revolution of theconveyor.

When material is conveyed below the horizontal with gravity furtheraiding the flow, the conveying speed may increase above that resultingfrom horizontal conveying, and where the material is conveyed up anincline of any desired slope up to a degree not greatly exceeding theangle of repose of the material, there may be a lessening of conveyingspeed. In any case, however, the advance of the material will becontinuous. I

In Figures 6, 7 and 8 I have illustrated still another form of conveyingapparatus embodying principles of the instant invention. In thisconstruction there is shown a pair of laterally spaced parallel framemembers 52-52 which are upwardly turned at each end a indicated at 53and terminate in inwardly extending confronting portions 54. A conveyor,generally indicated by numeral 55, which for illustrative purposes isthe same in construction as the above discussed conveyor l4 and 28,floats within the frame members on several sets of springs connected tothe conveyor adjacent each end thereof. Each spring 56 of one set isconnected at one end to the conveyor and at the other end through aturnbuckle connection 5'! to one of the inward extensions 54 on theframe. Each spring 56' of another set is connected at one end to anattaching lug 59 on the conveyor and at the opposite end to aturn-buckle connection 60 or the equivalent to one of the uprightportions 53 of the frame. Each spring 6| in thethird illustrated set isconnected at one end'to a lug 59 onthe conveyor and at the opposite endthrough a turn-buckle connection 62 or the equivalent to a base portion52 on the frame.

Two pairs of bearings 63 depend from the bottom of the conveyor 55 androtatably support a pair of transverse shafts 64 spaced longitudinallyalong the conveyor bottom. Each shaft carries a pair of counterweights65-65 which may be of any desired configuration and which are all preferably similarly positioned on the respective shafts 64. The shafts areuniformly driven by identical sprocket wheels 66, one on each shaft. anda chain 6'! trained over the sprocket wheels. One of the shafts isextended as indicated at 68 for connection to a suitable prime mover,not -illustrated.

The arrangement is such that when the shafts 64 are rotated. thecounterweights 65 exert thrusts upon the shaft, which thrusts aretransmitted to the conveyor 55 and in turn resisted by the. springs 56,58 and 6|. The springs 56 and GI may have the same degree of elasticity,while the spring 58 are usually of a different elasticity in that event.By adjusting the tum-buckles 51, 60

= and 62 to predetermined degrees, the thrusts of the'counterweights 65may be caused to move the conveyor 55 through an orbital path ofsubstantially any desired curvilinear shape.

As the conveyor 55 travels its orbital path, material is conveyedthereby in the same manner as above explained.

In connection with the instant invention, the weight or size ofparticles of conveyed material, provided the material is not tacky,dust-like or flocculent, has substantially no bearing on-the conveyingas previoushr described, consistent with a constant speed of orbitalmovement of the conveyor.

In some instances, as with some materials, it may be desirable to throwthe horizontal component of the conveyor drive out of phase with thevertical component to produce an irregular orbital path. This may beaccomplished with the structure of Figures 1, 2 and 3, for example, bychanging the angular relationship between the eccentrics 22 and 26 andthe eccentric 35 and their respective shafts; and in connection with thestructure in Figures 6, 7 and 8 by properly adjusting the turnbuckles.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a novel andeflicient conveying apparatus whereby material may be smoothly, rapidlyand very economically conveyed in a continuous and substantially uniformflow, downwardly, horizontally, or upwardly, to a degree not greatlyexceeding the angle of repose of the material. It is further apparentthat during the conveying the material is never permitted to stop, butis permitted to travel by its own momentum between direct propulsions sothat the advance is smooth and continuous and the material may be keptconstantly in contiguous relationship or actual contact with theconveying surface at all times. It will be further understood that whilethe invention is illustrated in connection with a linear straightconveyor, the invention is equally inclusive of a conveying memberhaving a laterally curved or warped surface as long as the axes of theorbital conveyor path are properly disposed with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the conveyor surface, 7

and material will be conveyed in a laterally curvate path in the samemanner as along a straight path. It is further apparent that theinvention includes a new and novel method of conveying material. Inaddition, it will be noted that conveying apparatus embodying principlesof this invention is extremely economical to both manufacture andoperate, and highly efficient and durable.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an apparatus for conveying material to advance it forward in asubstantially continuous stream on a support, motivating meansassociated with the support for oscillating the same, and meansconnecting the motivating means to the support to oscillate the samethrough a closed path of generally oval shape in a substantiallyvertical plane, the major axis of which oval is substantially parallelto the conveying surface of the support, said connecting means impartingmotion of such magnitude and said motivating means operating the same atsuch speed that the material on the support'is only positively carriedforward by the support during only the lower half of each oval movementand thereafter during the upper half of the oval movement is projectedforward by the momentum' stored up in it during the said lower half ofthe movement whereby the material is advanced over a substantiallycontinuou sinuous-like path in which the lower lobes of the path extendbelow the plane of the major axis of the oval, and in which the upperlobes of the path extend above said plane, said motivating meanscontinuously repeating the oval cycle ofmovement to advance the materialin a generally continuous stream in which substantially all of theparticles follow said sinuous-like path.

2. In a method of conveying material to advance it forward in asubstantially continuous stream on a support which includes the-steps ofsubjecting the support to a generally oval oscillatory motion in a,substantially vertical plane and in which the major axis of the oval issubstantially parallel to the conveying surface of the support, andproportioning the magnitude of the oval and the speed of oscillation sothat ROBERT M. CARRIER, JR.

